1982 - Ball of confusion 7 Inch Single
"Ball Of Confusion" is a single from B.E.F’s album "Music Of Quality And Distinction Vol.!".
It’s a cover from The Temptations and was released in 1970 as a single for their 2nd Greatest Hits album. The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
"Ball Of Confusion" is actually a protest song, originally to protest against the Vietnam War, Nixon’s government and drug addiction. However Heaven 17 wanted to cover the song again and Tina was the perfect singer for it.
If you read the lyrics you see that the singer finds the world very confusing.
Heaven 17 or B.E.F. was a group who mostly worked with psychedelic music and synthpop music. They were making an album with all kinds of covers and Tina was invited as well. "Ball Of Confusion" became the opening track of the album and was released as single as well. Tina peaked at number 5 in Norway. The song draw the attention of Capitol Records and Tina was back on the label again to produce songs with Martyn Ware. She also recorded "A Change Is Gonna Come" and "Havin A Party" from Sam Cooke and Al Green’s "Take Me To The River".
After the single had a small success in a few countries and had some airplay, Capitol dropped Tina again from their label. Roger convinced Capitol again to let Tina record some songs with Martyn Ware and they said "Take her away and take this last shot". Tina did and a year later in 1983 they’ve covered and produced the single "Let’s Stay Together" of Al Green which became a huge hit in the US and Europe and became Tina’s comeback single. Tina could no longer be denied.
Tina performed the song in a tv programm called Countdown and there seems to be another video of the song during a concert in 1982. The song was released as a 7" single and there are multiple versions of it.
However the B-side was the instrumental mix of the song.
"Ball Of Confusion" was included on her compilation set "The Collected Recordings" in 1994. Later it was also included on her "Private Dancer 30th Anniversary Edition" in 2015.
Track Listing
"Ball Of Confusion"
Single: Ball of confusion - 1982
People moving out, people moving in
Why, because of the color of their skin
Run, run, run, but you just cant hide
An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth
Vote for me and Ill set you free
Rap on, brother, rap on
Well, the only person talking about
Loving thy brother is the preacher
And it seems nobodys interested
In learning, but the teacher
Segregation, demonstration
Integration, determination
Aggravation, humiliation
Obligation to our nation
Ball of confusion
Thats what the world is today
Hey, hey
The sale of pills is at an all time high
Young folks walk with their heads in the sky
The cities aflame in the summertime
And, oh, the beat goes on
Evolution, revolution, gun control
The sound of soul, shooting rockets to the moon
Kids growing up too soon
Politicians say, "More taxes will solve everything"
The band played on
So, 'round and around and around we go
Where the worlds headed, nobody knows
Oh, Great Googamooga
Cant you hear me talking to you
Just a ball of confusion
Thats what the world is today
Hey, hey
Fear in the air, tension everywhere
Unemployment rising fast
The Beatles new records a gas
And the only safe place to live
Is on an Indian reservation
The band played on
Eve of destruction, tax deduction
City inspectors, bill collectors, mod clothes in demand
Population out of hand, suicide, too many bills
Hippies moving to the hills
People all over the world are shouting, "End the war"
And the band played on
Great Googamooga
Cant you hear me talking to you
Just a ball of confusion
Thats what the world is today
Yeah, yeah
Just a ball of confusion,
I tell you thats what the world is today
Yeah, yeah
Just a ball of confusion, oh
"Ball Of Confusion" (Instrumental) - 3.50 min.
Released: 1982
Genre: Synthpop , R&B
Length: 3.50 min.
Label: Virgin
Writers: "Ball Of Confusion" - N. Whitfield and B. Strong
"Ball Of Confusion (Instrumental)" - N. Whitfield and B. Strong
Producer: Martyn Ware
Chart Positions
Norway: 5
1975 - Under my thumb
1975 - Whole lotta love
1976 - Acid Queen
1978 - Root Toot Undisputable Rock 'n Roller
1978 - Viva la money
1978 - Sometimes When We Touch
1979 - Fruits of the Night
1979 - Music keeps me dancin'
1979 - Backstabbers
1980 - Are you breaking my heart
1982 - Ball of confusion
1983 - Lets Stay Together
1984 - Help
1984 - What's love got to do with it?
1984 - Better be good to me
1984 - Private Dancer
1984 - I can't stand the rain
1985 - Show some respect
1985 - We don't need another hero - Mad Max
1985 - One of the living
1985 - It's only love - with Bryan Adams
1986 - Typical Male
1986 - Back where you started
1986 - Two People
1987 - Girls
1987 - What you get is what you see
1987 - Break every rule
1987 - Paradise is here - Special Edition
1987 - Tearing us apart - with Eric Clapton
1988 - Nutbush City Limits
1988 - Tonight Live - with David Bowie
1988 - Addicted to love
1988 - A change is gonna come
1989 - The Best
1989 - I don't wanna lose you
1989 - 6345789 - with Robert Cray
1990 - Steamy Windows
1990 - Foreign Affair
1990 - Look Me in the Heart
1990 - Be Tender With Me Baby
1990 - It takes Two - with Rod Stewart
1991 - Nutbush City Limits
1991 - Way of the world
1991 - I want you near me
1991 - Love Thing
1993 - I don't wanna fight
1993 - Disco Inferno
1993 - Why must we wait until tonight?
1993 - Proud Mary
1995 - Goldeneye
1996 - On silent wings
1996 - Whatever you want
1997 - Cose della vita - with Eros Ramazzotti
